“My fingers linger on the doorknob. Should I open it?”
OR
“Heidi’s fingers lingered on the doorknob. She weighted her options. Should she open it or not?”
No one way is right. Do you want to write in the first person present tense? Or in the third person past tense?
Either way can create a superb novel. The first person and present tense create an immediacy. It creates a window through which you can take each step behind the eye of the speaker.
In Orson Scott Card’s wonderful book, Characters and Viewpoint, he says this about Voice: “A rule of thumb: Choose the simplest, clearest, least noticeable technique that will still accomplish what the story requires.”
I personally, chose third person past tense. I had a lot of characters I wanted my readers to meet and many things were happening at the same time across the world. I enjoy fast-paced novels and lots of twists and turns.
In my case, this viewpoint worked the best. What have you tried and what has worked for you?
2nd Place Winner in the LuckyCinda Book Contest 2014 for Paranormal
Semi-Finalist in the KBR’s Best Kindle Book Awards 2014
Indie Book of the Day Award Winner July 25, 2014
Genre: Mainstream Paranormal/Paranormal Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Link to Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/17gFt26ncoU
Book Blurb:
Calise Rowe's question of who walks among us leads her into an ancient war between seers and demons.
For years, Calise Rowe has been able to sense unusual energy from people, making her believe she is different. Pulled into an ancient war raging for centuries between demon hunters and seers, she's about to find out she's right.
Her search for the truth leads her to Lucas Rojas, a seer of angels and demons who walk the earth shrouded from normal human eyes. He's hidden his gift for years and refuses to endanger Calise by sharing it with her.
In the sultry Costa Rican Jungles, their worlds collide. As their passion and desire ignite, so does the ancient war between demons and seers. Will their combined efforts be enough to save themselves and the entire human world, or will their new found love be their downfall?
Excerpt:
She traced a circle in the sand with her finger.
Why would she disclose her whole existence to someone she’d just met? Someone who talked so little about himself that she found herself talking to fill the void. Saying things she could barely admit in her own head.
His hand covered hers. “I’m lonely, too. Getting to know you this week has been the brightest point in my life and I don’t want you to leave, but I know the only place you’ll be safe is far away from me.”
She swallowed. He had read her mind.
He lay down on his back and closed his eyes. “Cali, you know when you hear a song for the first time and you kind of ingest it? You can’t possibly know right away that it will be one of your favorite songs for the rest of your life. A classic.”
“Yeah.” She hoped he was going somewhere good with this.
“That first listen,” he continued, “you pick up a little of the melody and some lyrics that catch you. But when the song ends, you have to hear it again because you want to memorize all the words and sing along. After you hear it a few times and learn the words inside and out, then you begin to let the melody seep inside you. Next thing you know, you’ve completely digested the song and find yourself humming it while you are doing nothing, like shaving or driving your car. Finally, the song becomes so ingrained it becomes a part of you. Forever. You can recall it and it’s with you whenever you need it. Am I making any sense?”
She nodded, blinking back the tears fighting to fall.
“Cali, I don’t want you to go back because you’re my favorite song.”
Her search for the truth leads her to Lucas Rojas, a seer of angels and demons who walk the earth shrouded from normal human eyes. He's hidden his gift for years and refuses to endanger Calise by sharing it with her.
In the sultry Costa Rican Jungles, their worlds collide. As their passion and desire ignite, so does the ancient war between demons and seers. Will their combined efforts be enough to save themselves and the entire human world, or will their new found love be their downfall?
Excerpt:
She traced a circle in the sand with her finger.
Why would she disclose her whole existence to someone she’d just met? Someone who talked so little about himself that she found herself talking to fill the void. Saying things she could barely admit in her own head.
His hand covered hers. “I’m lonely, too. Getting to know you this week has been the brightest point in my life and I don’t want you to leave, but I know the only place you’ll be safe is far away from me.”
She swallowed. He had read her mind.
He lay down on his back and closed his eyes. “Cali, you know when you hear a song for the first time and you kind of ingest it? You can’t possibly know right away that it will be one of your favorite songs for the rest of your life. A classic.”
“Yeah.” She hoped he was going somewhere good with this.
“That first listen,” he continued, “you pick up a little of the melody and some lyrics that catch you. But when the song ends, you have to hear it again because you want to memorize all the words and sing along. After you hear it a few times and learn the words inside and out, then you begin to let the melody seep inside you. Next thing you know, you’ve completely digested the song and find yourself humming it while you are doing nothing, like shaving or driving your car. Finally, the song becomes so ingrained it becomes a part of you. Forever. You can recall it and it’s with you whenever you need it. Am I making any sense?”
She nodded, blinking back the tears fighting to fall.
“Cali, I don’t want you to go back because you’re my favorite song.”
Bio:
Author Kat de Falla was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she learned to roller skate, ride a banana seat bike, and love Shakespeare thanks to her high school English teacher.
Four years at the UW-Madison wasn’t enough, so she returned to her beloved college town for her Doctor of Pharmacy degree and is happily employed as a retail pharmacist where she fills prescriptions and chats with her patients.
She is married to her soul mate, classical guitarist, Lee de Falla and raising four kids together ala the Brady Bunch.
Kat’s Links:
Author Website: www.katdefalla.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/@katdefalla
Facebook:www.facebook.com/authorkatdefalla (message me to join my street team!)
Lee’s Bio/Info:
Composer Lee de Falla, a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was raised in a family of professional musicians. He picked up his father's guitar at age eight and hasn't put one down since. Although well versed at playing all genres of music, his love is composition for modern classical guitar and instrumental orchestrations. He is finishing work on two CD's which will be available later this year.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/leedefalla and www.facebook.com/bfpmusic
Composer Website: www.bayafaya.com where FREE music requests are available that accompany THE SEER’S LOVER:
- Anna’s Dance is a jazzy bossa nova meant to accompany chapter two.
- Shane's Torment is a churning soundscape of despair meant to accompany chapter six.
- Cali and Lucas First Dance is a Latin fusion instrumental love song meant to accompany chapter twelve.
As I touch on Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) in this book, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to www.iorphan.org
Buy Links:
AMAZON
BARNES AND NOBLE
KOBO
Acclaim for THE SEER’S LOVER:
“Distinctly haunting and deliciously dark, The Seer's Lover is the debut novel from author Kat De Falla and it’s one to be read with the light on! A paranormal romance, it may not howl originality as the age old forces of Angels and Demons muster for yet another face off, but De Falla certainly distinguishes herself with the quality of her writing and the ability to weave a riveting and intriguing plot. With a meticulous eye for detail her characters are skillfully drawn, shunning the genre tendency towards stoic stereotypes to deliver flawed real world personas that quickly feel familiar and are ultimately endearing. The action is generous and well described, the twists served with perfect timing, it has all the elements readers expect from the best in genre and they are sure to keep the pages turning at a frantic pace.”
--Book Viral (http://bookviral.com/the-seers-lover/4584242750)
The Seer's Lover is truly an unusual creation in the e-world: it comes with musical interludes (which can be downloaded for free) and it tells of Calise, who has long known she has different abilities than most. What she hasn't realized is that her powers will draw her into an ancient conflict between good and evil, pitting her against some of the strongest adversaries in the universe.
If all this sounds familiar, it's because the classic 'good-versus-evil' plot has been done time and again: but as with any good book, it's not just the plot that makes for an exceptional read, but how it's done.
Kat de Falla places her main protagonist on a journey of discovery that leads to the Costa Rican forest, there to encounter a man who (much like herself) has hidden his abilities. Lucas can actually see the demons and angels who walk the earth; but not only has he concealed his abilities; he doesn't want to endanger her by sharing his gift.
What evolves is paranormal romance fiction at its best: a story steeped in passion with the overlay of deadly dangers and powerful talents woven into an ever-changing plot.
Now, the genre of paranormal romance has rapidly expanded. Over the last ten years romance writers have added a variety of elements to spice their creations, and entry into paranormal realms is just one of these newer devices. Another device used here is that of music which runs through the story line as a theme so that musical passages accompany the story.
The Seer's Lover is all about building atmosphere, from its eye-catching cover of a man and a woman on an island facing down blazing red eyes in the sky to these musical interludes that reinforce action.
And this atmosphere is created right from the start, where Calise is already involved with Lucas: "Why would she disclose her whole existence to someone she’d just met? Someone who talked so little about himself that she found herself talking to fill the void. Saying things she could barely admit in her own head."
There are no pat answers here; no formula approaches that would lend too much predictability to events. Calise is alternately brave and terrified, as her abilities are yet untested but her adversaries are seasoned and powerful: "This is not going so well. I’m turning out to be a pretty shitty Buffy the Demon Slayer."
And there are surprises peppered throughout: in the form of a mother whom Calise comes to realize as the wellspring of her powers, and in the guise of a romances past and present which rise up to haunt her. There are unexpected religious experiences, there's a search to find self, and there are elements of suspense tying all of these events together.
In the end Calise faces the greatest challenge of her life - and with prior events having helped her grow, she's in the strongest position ever to find peace in her life.
The open-ended conclusion leaves room for a possible sequel but in the true style of a superior read, it's not essential that more be written: The Seer's Lover is a self-contained novel that properly wraps up its story, and will satisfy any reader of paranormal or romance fiction.
Highly entertaining by anyone’s reckoning, The Seer's Lover from author Kat De Falla is an exciting debut novel and certainly one that deserves a place on your reading shelf. It is strongly recommended.
--D. Donovan, eBook Reviewer, MBR
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